After bidding farewell toStar Trek: Picardlast year with a critically acclaimed final season, showrunnerTerry Matalashas found his next big sci-fi project. PerThe Hollywood Reporter, 20th Century Studios has tapped him to pen an update to the 1985 cult classicEnemy Mine, which starredDennis Quaidandthe late greatLouis Gossett Jr. Based onBarry B. Longyear’s 1979 novella featured inAsimov’s Science Fictionmagazine, the original film hailed from Oscar-nominatedDas BootandThe NeverEnding StorydirectorWolfgang Petersenin his English-language debut. Coincidentally, this will mark Matalas’s feature writing debut.
Enemy Mineunfolds in the far future where humanity is in the middle of an interstellar war with the reptilian Drac species. When human pilot Willis Davidge (Quaid) and alien fighter Jeriba Shigan (Gossett Jr.) crash-land on a desolate, treacherous planet, however,they’re forced to put their prejudices aside to survive. Though their differences threaten to undo them, they slowly forge an unlikely friendship that carries them through the challenges the planet and its inhabitants pose to them. Eventually, Davidge is asked to care for the Drac’s child when he is no longer able to carry on.
Petersen’s original film overcamea troubled production cycleand initial bombing at the box office to becomea cult sci-fi favoriteover time, currently holding a 68% score from audiences onRotten Tomatoes. Among other things, it was praised for its themes of tolerance and mutual respect told through its main characters who come to know and honor each other’s ancestry. The Longyear-penned source material was similarly lauded upon its release, winning the Nebula Award, which honors the best science fiction works released in the U.S., in the novella category and receiving two sequels.
Matalas Is a Proven Voice in Science Fiction
There’s currently no director attached to 20th Century’s newEnemy Mineadaptation, but the addition of Matalas is a promising start. There are few hotter up-and-coming names than him after he grabbed the attention of the sci-fi world last year withhis work onStar Trek: PicardSeason 3, which became by far the highest-rated installment of the series with a 98% score onRotten Tomatoesand raked inan eye-popping seven Saturn Award nominationswithfour wins including one for Best Television Series. Before becoming a WGA-nominated showrunner on thePatrick Stewart-led show, however, he had already proven a capable and steady hand as the creator and showrunner of 2015’s12 Monkeysseries on Syfy. Now, his schedule is quickly becoming crowded, with Marvel also pulling him in foraVisionsolo seriesstarring a returningPaul Bettany.
Enemy Mineis still very early in development. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on Matalas’s update of the cult classic film. The original is currently available for rent or purchase on digital platforms.
Star Trek: Picard
Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, long retired from Starfleet, is thrust back into the heart of galactic intrigue when a desperate young woman seeks his aid. Determined to uncover a vast conspiracy and protect her, Picard recruits a diverse team of allies. As they navigate a galaxy fraught with new dangers and old enemies, Picard faces personal demons and ethical dilemmas, all while trying to uphold the ideals he has always stood for.
Watch on Prime Video
